Life
by postalnori
Summary: It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt, then it's hilarious. Full summary inside.  ShizuoxOCxIzaya
1. Nothing Lasts Forever

**Title: **Life**  
Genre:** Romance/ Slice of Life **  
Rating: **Teen for adult themes

**Fully Summary:** As the saying goes, "It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt, then it's hilarious." This rings true for certain individuals in Ikebukuro. But who's having all the fun and what are the games? And who finds someone's pain to be laughable? The first to find out will be Izaya. (ShizuoxOCxIzaya)

**Author's Note: **Story is better viewed in 3/4 layout. Story begins before Mikado moves to Ikebukuro. Plot will focus on a female OC and her speculations of what is going on in the city. It will follow the anime and light novels. A handful of chapters will be flashbacks that take place when Shizuo, Izaya, and Shinra are in high school. This story will be heavy on the idea of love involving the OC.

* * *

**Chapter One: Nothing Lasts Forever**

It was a regular day in Ikebukuro. Nothing was out of the ordinary. People lived their lives, repeated the same mundane routines, and paid no mind to the faceless crowd and focused only on themselves. The Yellow Scarves were beginning to excel in numbers, matching up to the Blue Squares. Russia Sushi fliers were scattered all over the streets; the wind served as a means of transportation for them. The wind also carried the fresh scent of grounded coffee beans. Where did such an aroma come from? From a shop called The Indigo Lounge or Indigo for short**—**known for its copious amount of purple-shaded furniture and their specialty: homemade brew of Violet Black Coffee and Violet Tea, a royal taste for the common people. There was not one person in Ikebukuro that hadn't gone there, pockets full of money or not.

Shizuo was strolling through the city, enjoying the peace he rarely experienced. Taking one final drag of his cigarette, he later tossed it in the trash. After he burned out the end, of course. He proceeded to talk to a girl outside of Indigo. Her silver hair was tied into a high, side ponytail and she wore her usual working uniform: a white apron over a mini, violet Chinese dress. She was offering samples to people walking by.

"Yuzuki," Shizuo said.

She turned towards him and her eyes immediately lit up.

"It's been a while, Shizuo. Would you like to sample our new blend?"

He took a cup from the tray and drank it. He tasted hazelnut and chamomile. Indigo had a knack for combining strange flavors.

"It's a little bitter, don't you think?" he said.

"You think so? I thought it was fine."

"Well, I'm free today. Did you want to do something?"

Yuzuki smiled and hopped up and down ever so slightly on the tip of her toes. "Do you want to come in? Today's afternoon special is hot chocolate coffee."

As long as it wasn't something with flowers drowning in it, Shizuo was fine. They went inside and for the first time, he got a taste of the store's interior. It was all very purple. Indigo drapes hung from the windows, obviously for decorations since the windows were tinted. There was golden embroidery sown along every purple cushion and piece of fabric in the store. Even the plastic chandeliers hanging from the ceiling were a dark purple. He kept his comments to himself. Yuzuki had him sit at a table close to the front counter so they could talk.

A customer left when he saw Heiwajima Shizuo, most likely because Shizuo had beaten the guy up before. There were always customers like that and many customers who asked Yuzuki how she wasn't afraid of Shizuo. She would never answer them truthfully. They couldn't understand her. Yuzuki attended Raijin High School together with Shizuo. They were both in the same classes and got along fairly well. She occasionally used to let him stay at her apartment when he was jumping from job to job. What he liked about her was that she never judged him. If he needed a place to stay, she'd let him in without asking why. If he was bleeding at her doorstep, she would patch him up and that was it. For the more ghastly wounds, he went to Shinra. Yuzuki didn't like to probe under his skin for bullets or sharp objects.

Yuzuki poured him a cup of coffee and gave him a serving of melon bread to go with it. Afterwards, she went to tend to the other customers. The bakery area was quiet despite the many customers. Indigo was a quiet place in Ikebukuro, where one could escape from all the gang fights, the city noise, and the gossip. What was good for Shizuo was that _he_ was never around.

"Did you dye your hair?" Shizuo asked. He remembered hair to be black in the past. She didn't seem to hear him since she went to serve other customers. The entrance bell rung and he looked over to see two teenagers hooking arms: a blond male and brunette. Sipping his coffee, he looked away. A lot of high school couples came to Indigo, much to his bemusement. As long as they weren't loud or caused problems for Yuzuki, he was cool with it. The couple sat down at a table away from him.

"Saki, what do you want to eat?" the blond asked.

"Anything's fine," the girl replied.

The boy went over to the counter.

"Hello, Yuzukiiiii!"

"Kida-kun? It's good to see you. Did you come by yourself?" asked Yuzuki.

"Nope. I came with my girlfriend. She's so cute!" He pointed over at the brunette sitting by herself. "Can I get two pumpkin cheesecakes?"

Caught up in looking at Saki, Yuzuki didn't hear his order. She could have sworn she had seen that girl somewhere before. Kida knocked on the counter to get her attention. Snapping out of it, she apologized and continued with their orders. She messed it up and brought them pumpkin juice by accident. They didn't mind the confusion. Saki laughed at one point and mumbled something to herself. Yuzuki didn't quite catch it, but she knew it was about her. Unfortunately, she never had the opportunity to talk to Saki to reaffirm her suspicions. The afternoon drifted away and the shop closed. Shizuo had waited for two hours in order to walk her home.

They walked side by side in the dark.

"Hey...Shizuo. Can I ask you something?" Yuzuki murmured hesitantly.

He stopped and looked at her. It was uncommon for her to ask for permission to speak. She only did that if she felt that she was intruding on something that wasn't any of her business. Even though they've known each other for years, there was always this gap between them that neither of them spoke of. He motioned for her to go on.

"Hasn't Ikebukuro been changing lately? There's been a lot of...yellow and blue coming in and out of the store," she said.

"Don't trouble yourself over it."

"Mmn..." She bit down on her lip, wanting to say more. "It might just be me, but it feels as though this peace will be broken."

Before Shizuo could say more, his cell phone rang. He received a message from his boss, requesting him to take on a sudden shift. "Looks like I have to leave."

Yuzuki seemed disappointed for a second, but she quickly hid it with a smile. "Take care then." With that, Shizuo left. Once he was out of sight, she heaved a heavy sigh before continuing on home. It had always been like this between them since high school. When they were about to dive deep into the matter, someone always had to interrupt. "As I thought, this peace won't last." Arriving at her complex, she saw someone sitting at the steps outside.

"Simon?"

He looked up at the sound of his name.

"I have been waiting, Yuzuki-san," he spoke in a very botched up accent. It was difficult for anyone to take him seriously when he was speaking in Russian. Not that he could since she couldn't understand Russian any better than his Japanese.

"Waiting for me?"

"Yah. Heard about what happened to Indigo."

She shifted uncomfortably.

"I caught culprit, taught him that robbing is no good. No good."

"Who was it?"

"Yellow Scarves."

Yuzuki shook her head as though she couldn't bear to hear it. Simon touched her shoulder reassuringly, but she politely brushed him off. She sat down on the steps, lamenting the news she was just given. He shut his eyes and frowned. Both of them knew something was happening to the city. Something was brewing up behind the scenes. Seeing Sake and Kida together only asserted her suspicions. Though she probably was not going to like it, Simon had no choice, but to do this one thing. He handed her a take-out bag of sushi, free of charge.

"From Izaya."

And with that one name, the peace Yuzuki knew and loved ended.


	2. His Name, Her Name

**Author's Note: **The changes to this chapter are subtle (if you former readers can remember the original since it took me forever to republish this). The main reason why it took so long for this chapter to come out is because I have a lot of trouble interpreting Durarara characters with 100% accuracy since the anime did not cover the novel completely. While a reviewer did give me a site to novel translations, I feel it is quite "inappropriate" to make a fanfic while leaving out the characters in the novel...but I digress...

Let's see how it goes.

* * *

**Chapter Two: His Name, Her Name**

"Did you hear? There was another fight. It was Heiwajima again."

"Really? What happened this time?"

"Some second years were picking a fight. It was those guys who got caught gambling, remember?"

"Those guys? Aren't they part of the yakuza? Scary..."

_ Again? Hope he doesn't get suspended. Not that this is first time this has happened. _Dressed in her middle school uniform, Yuzuki sat in the back of the classroom. She listened to her friends chat about the fight as her two layered lunchbox sat on her desk, uneaten. She told her friends to go to the cafeteria to get utensils, but due to the fight, they got sidetracked. There was no way she could eat all of the food by herself, especially not in the sixty seconds that remained. She decided to skip next period. Sneaking onto the roof of the school, no one else was there. _Odd. I was sure some delinquents would be up here gambling and smoking._ She climbed the latter to the water tower and saw a student already occupying it.

It was Heiwajima Shizuo.

That explained why no one else was up there.

Shizuo chugged a carton of milk. He took a huge breath of air and wiped his lips with the back of his sleeve. Cursing under his breath, he crushed the cardboard carton with one squeeze. It was apparent that he was frustrated over something. When he finally noticed her, he stopped talking to himself. His eyes narrowed as he watched her climb all the way up. He'd seen the girl around before. He shuffled through his memories for any recollection of her face. That's when he realized that they were actually in the same class and sat right next to each other. The only time he ever spoke to her was when he needed to share text books or erasers.

"Why are you here?"

Her ears tingled at the sound of his voice.

She swallowed before speaking.

"Delivery! You must be hungry, huh?"

Indeed he was. He never got to eat since his lunch got stomped on by those second years, which would explain the cause of the fight. She handed him a pair of chopsticks.

"Ah, thanks," Shizuo grumbled, unsure of himself and his examined her carefully. The newspaper club pestered him about an interview earlier in the week. He rejected their wishes, but they were persistent. _This girl could be a member._ He tossed the chopsticks to the pavement. Whatever this girl was up to, he wasn't going to buy it. _I'm out. She better not follow me. _He went down the ladder; before jumping off from the third rung, he saw her wave goodbye. _Strange girl. _

Strange was correct. She wouldn't talk to him during class, only when he got into fights. Even then, she didn't ask about the fight or lecture him that violence was against the school rules. All she did was treat him to lunch. He was beginning to think she was a stalker instead of a club member, but a typical stalker wouldn't ignore a person one day and then invite them to lunch out of the blue. It was growing awkward between them since they sat next to each other. What was interesting was that he began to acknowledge her more. Before, he hardly knew she existed and now he was purposely avoiding her at all cost. One day after another fight, he found a lunchbox on his desk. It was then that he decided to confront her and naturally, he knew where to find her.

The rooftop.

She was reading a book by the fence when he came.

Shizuo held up the lunchbox, motioning it towards her.

"Why do you keep bothering me?" he asked.

"Because I want to eat with someone," she replied, her eyes glued to the book.

"Why does it have to be me?"

She smiled, her eyes rolling up at him.

"Well, don't you get hungry after fighting?"

He blinked.

_That's it?_ His stomach growled suddenly. She patted the space next to her. Reluctantly, he joined her and unpacked the lunchbox. There was quite a selection of riceballs to choose from. He took the broccoli and beef one. The seaweed was cut into tiny pentagons in order to make the onigiri resemble a soccer ball. _What time did she wake up to make this? And what's the point in making everything cute?_ Opening his mouth, he put the whole thing in his mouth. He licked the left over grains of rice off his fingers.

"Kiyomizu Yuzuki..." He glanced over at her. "That's your name?"

In the middle of biting into her food, she nodded.

Having lunch together became a daily routine for them. It started off slow, but they began to talk more. Every time there was a study period or group work, they would pair up by pushing their desks together. It was her, who mainly initiated everything, whether it was hanging out or partnering up. Their classmates were perplexed as to how they could get along and how Yuzuki wasn't afraid of him. Yuzuki's friends stopped hanging out with her due to fear and they gave her the silent treatment. Shizuo subtlety hinted to her that maybe they shouldn't have lunch together anymore, but she wouldn't listen. She didn't mind that she had to lose friends in order to gain a new one. And, it wasn't as if Shizuo couldn't get mad at her. It's just that she wouldn't do or say things that would tick him off to the point where he'd be in violent rage. Shizuo did admit though, that during the time she was "clinging" to him, he had the urge to punch her.

"The tamago is really sweet today," Shizuo noted.

"Better sweet than salty, right?" Yuzuki drummed her fingers on her desk as she watched the rain. Due to the weather, they could not go up to the roof so they stayed in the classroom.

"You like it sweet?"

A faint blush crossed her face and she nodded. He had a feeling that was the case since he always saw her eating melon bread and other snacks. Shizuo grabbed another tamago roll with his chopsticks.

"Well, there's nothing wrong with liking sweet things." Shizuo shrugged.

"Then let's go eat cake. You can pick the place."

"How about the shop by the station."

"That place it is then."

The two dropped by the bakery on the way home. They shared a honey cake with blueberries on the side. Shizuo had a glass of milk with it. He always drank milk throughout the day, even at school as Yuzuki had noticed. She wondered if he also liked to eat sweets. Milk complimented cookies and cakes after all. Anyhow, milk seemed to calm him down. She used to think that his fighting impulse was from calcium deficiency, but that was ridiculous. She sipped her coffee.

"You're always drinking coffee," Shizuo said.

"It tastes good."

He broke the ceramic handle of his teacup.

"So as long as something tastes good, you don't care what you're putting into your mouth!"

"When I get older I won't be able to eat like I can now,'" Yuzuki reasoned.

"You're in middle school."

"Well, since it's Shizuo speaking, I'll watch my health from now."

He fell back into his seat, content. She playfully kicked him under the table and he choked on his milk. He reached over the table to pull her into a headlock. It was the most extreme act of "violence" he ever used on her and even then, it was not because he was out to hurt her. As they prepared to leave, Yuzuki felt a pair of eyes on her. She looked around at the other customers. Everyone else was minding their own business. Disregarding it, she chased after Shizuo, who had continued on without her. Once they were gone, a customer sitting in the back corner removed the book that was hiding his face. He had a sly grin spread across his face as he watched the two through the glass.

"Oh ya?"

Unbeknown to the prior two, this customer would be intruding in their lives in the coming year whether they wanted him to or not.

Spring arrived and it was the first year entrance ceremony for all new first years of Raijin Academy. Shizuo, Yuzuki, and Shinra were walking to school together. A black motorcycle pulled up next to them. The biker wore a matching suit and a cat-eared helmet. While Shinra and the biker were talking, Yuzuki looked over at a small rundown building across from them. Yuzuki vaguely remembered that a bakery used to be there, where a kind woman with glasses used to work.

As they drew closer to the school, cherry blossoms in full bloom came into view. The spring breeze sent petals blowing into the air. Shizuo ruffled Yuzuki's hair, shaking off the pink petals. She laughed when she saw Shizuo covered in them as well and she helped him get them off. Neither of them bothered telling Shinra and the inspector standing by the gate of the school scolded him for his unkempt appearance. Luckily for that inspector, he did not nitpick at Shizuo's bleached hair or else, Shizuo may have been suspended for another reason.

Shizuo stopped in his tracks.

Yuzuki bumped into him. She was about to ask what was wrong until she realized he was looking up at the school. She followed the direction of his gaze and saw another student, dressed in a black jumpsuit. That was a complete violation of the dress code. How did that student get passed the inspector? Shizuo's forehead wrinkled, his brows furrowed into a scowl. For most cases, Yuzuki did not think much of it when Shizuo was not fond of someone, but this time she was getting a different vibe.

She patted his back and led him to the bulletin board, where their homerooms were posted. They were in the same homeroom and if today was their lucky day, or more like Yuzuki's, their desks would be next to each other. That was not the case: Shizuo sat by the window while she sat by the door. She became acquainted with most of her classmates and she went to the cafeteria with a group of girls. Shizuo remained in the classroom, talking to a guy named, Kadota.

After school, Yuzuki went to the faculty room to talk to the head of the student council about joining. Shizuo was waiting for her when a gang of strangers called him out to the tennis court. They were picking a fight with him, of course. What else would a bunch of gangsters want from him? Since Yuzuki would be done soon, he did not want to take long. He swiftly took everyone out; their bodies lying unconscious all over the pavement. He received a text message from Yuzuki, telling him she was waiting for him by the shoe boxes. He was about to rush straight there until he heard clapping behind him.

"That's Orihara Izaya. He went to our middle school," Shinra introduced the student Shizuo saw that morning. "He's not a good guy. Actually, he's kind of an asshole."

"That's awful, Shinra," this Izaya sighed.

From the moment Shizuo laid eyes on Izaya, he disliked him. He had no problem openly expressing it either and when Izaya addressed him with a friendly honorific, he snapped and charged at him. He smashed the bench Izaya had been sitting on with his fist, but missed his intended target altogether. Right when he was caught off guard, Izaya took out his switchblade and delivered a juicy cut across Shizuo's chest. They tried to kill each other after that. Yuzuki completely left Shizuo's mind and was replaced by murderous intent. Izaya's game of cat and mouse that day did not last too long when Shizuo was hit by a truck. That was not the end of Shizuo though when he appeared at Shinra's apartment. Celty was attempting to soothe his anger and to make him put down the door he was carrying over his head that he wanted to use to smash Izaya's skull with.

"Excuse me. There was no door so I let myself in," a voice rung amongst the chaos.

Shizuo lowered his arms and turned towards the voice.

"Yuzuki..." It was then that Shizuo remembered that she was waiting for him. He glowered at Izaya, pissed off that he had been distracted by that flea.

She had a bag of bandages in her hand. When Shizuo hadn't shown up, she assumed that he got into another fight and went to buy supplies in anticipation that he would need to be cleaned up or in need of a band-aid. How she knew Shizuo was here? Who knew? "It's late. Let's go home, okay?"

"Alright." Shizuo tossed the door onto the couch and followed her out.

Celty went to restore the door.

"And Yuzuki comes to save the day," Shinra chuckled. "She's an odd one."

"Do you mean to say she can put on an entertaining show?" Izaya inquired, raising a brow.

"You're so bad." Shinra shook his head at Izaya's smirking face. "Those two are an interesting pair. I wouldn't go meddling in their business."

"When you put it like that, I can't help, but want to."

After that day, more weirdos started attacking Shizuo. Some groups even ambushed him when he was alone or on his way to the bathroom. The school had to fix the plumbing in the boy's bathroom in the west wing and then the next day, the bathroom in the north wing had to be fixed. Eventually, every male restroom had temporarily shut down at one point. The school had enough money for weekly renovations, but the student body and faculty were beginning to fear Shizuo. Many were amazed by his strength just as long as that strength was not directed onto them. The student council constantly discussed the "problem student", Shizuo. No one knew that Izaya was the instigator.

_What do those people know about him? _Yuzuki grew tired of the meetings and quit the council. She had been planning to run as treasurer too. She saw Kadota down the hall and asked if he had seen Shizuo. It was lunch time and Shizuo was nowhere to be found.

"Rooftop."

She hurried there. Running up the stairs, she turned onto another flight of steps, but stopped when she saw Izaya sitting there.

"Shizu-chan is busy right now." Right when he finished speaking, a loud splash of water could be heard. Apparently, Shizuo had knocked a guy off the roof and into the school's swimming pool. Ten other guys joined their friend in the water seconds later. Yuzuki went to move around Izaya, but he stuck out his arm. He looked up at her, leaning back so that his chin was tilted in a conceited fashion. "He's not done yet. Why don't we wait for him, Yuzuki?"

She did that and took a seat. She examined her nails in order to occupy herself. _This is my first time talking to him. Is he as bad as Shizuo says? _Shizuo never verbally said anything about Izaya, maybe a couple of foul names here and there, but it did not leave much incite for her interpret.

"Patient, aren't you? Not many girls are when it comes to guys," Izaya said.

"What do you mean?"

"You can take it anyway you want to, but a girl who constantly waits won't get anywhere," he pondered aloud. "You might as well tell him soon."

"Tell him what?" she asked.

"That you like him. You do, don't you?"

Before she could say anything, she saw Shizuo descending the stairs. She happily called out to him.

"Oh, Yuzuk...Izayaaa!" Shizuo's calm disposition vanished in an instant and their game of cat and mouse played out again, leaving Yuzuki alone on the staircase. She called out after him, her hand grasping the air as his back disappeared. She used to have no difficulty calming him down, but when it came to Izaya, nothing would stop him. It was due to all the fights and chases that Shizuo and her were having lunch together less often.

They were drifting apart.

Each time she tried confronting him; some thug would show up and disrupt their conversation. If it wasn't a random stranger then it was Izaya. It was as if he knew the precise moment of when to interrupt. It was becoming tiring. It wasn't that Shizuo could take the hint that something was troubling her, but he'd lose his senses each time his rival showed up. As a result, Yuzuki stopped making lunch and ate at the cafeteria.

"Did you get a haircut?" Kadota pointed to her fringes.

"You're sharp. I just trimmed them."

Kadota had spotted her heading to the cafeteria by herself so he decided to join her. She scooped up a spoonful of noodles in beef broth and consumed it. Kadota watched her slurp the noodles obnoxiously. She was expressing her frustration through her eating. It was obvious what was bothering her. He had been observing those three and in a morbid sense, it was amusing. At least it was in the beginning until Yuzuki became less cheerful each day.

She finished her bowl of ramen.

"Want another one? I'll get it for you," he volunteered.

"Okay, but can you have them put more miso?" she murmured.

"Sure." Taking her tray, he held in a laugh. _What an appetite. _

Face in hand, she yawned. Exams were nearing and she had been spending her time at the library after school to study. She could not remember the last time she walked home with Shizuo. Shinra usually got a ride home from Celty and it was only occasionally that Kadota accompanied her. Her girl friends were either in clubs or had boyfriends so she did not want to impose on them.

She was getting lonely.

Someone sat across from her. Thinking it was Kadota, she reached out and grabbed the tray. That's when she saw it was Shizuo.

"Did you eat yet?" he asked, offering her a bite of his omelet and rice.

She eagerly leaned forward. He shoved the spoon into her mouth and smiled slightly. He noticed she had been feeling blue for a while. He was relieved she was still eating. Kadota returned with another bowl of ramen and after delivering it to Yuzuki, he left them alone.

"Want to try some?" Like Shizuo, Yuzuki gathered a spoonful with of noodles. He grabbed her wrist, steadying her hand so that none of the soup would spill, and eased the spoon into his mouth. "It's good, right? And, there's a ton of miso."

"I'm surprised you didn't put sugar in it."

She laughed. "Say, do you want to skip class?"

"I guess I don't mind."

Once the next bell rang, they took the back exit to leave. He threw both their bags over the cement wall and he climbed first. He motioned for her hand and he hauled her up onto the wall. She flinched when her hair got caught onto a tree branch. Shizuo pulled her into him as he stretched his arm out to gently untangle the strands.

"There's something different about your hair," he said.

"Oh? So you noticed."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"We haven't seen each other in a while so..."

"Just because we don't see each other doesn't mean we can't think of each other." He jumped down from the wall. When Yuzuki did not come down, he peered up at her. She stared at her lap, kicking her feet. "What? Need help?" Taking her by the waist, he glided her onto her feet. "You're skinny." He squeezed her waist. "I thought it would be the opposite since you eat so much." He was waiting for a hostile response, but didn't get one. This was not like the Yuzuki he knew. She clutched his shirt, feeling the bandages underneath. Izaya was the only one who was able to land a hit on Shizuo. She knew he was getting into more fights and yet he wouldn't come to her when he needed to be patched up, meaning he was going to Shinra. He would go to Shinra for the major or ugly wounds. That's what worried her. Shizuo was still human and he could die. Shizuo sensed her uneasiness. He placed his chin on her head; his arm wrapping around her while his left hand was rested on the back of her head. "I do worry about you, you know."

She buried her face into his chest.

He held her tighter, looking away all the while.

An answer to Izaya's question that time, it was more than "like".

"Like" was an understatement.


	3. Of A Different Shade

**Author's Note: **Thus far, Izaya has not moved his office from Ikebukuro to Shinjuku yet; he moves it after he frames Shizuo. Also, just a reminder, this chapter is in the present. The 3/4 layout would be the preferred reading format.

* * *

**Chapter Three: Of A Different Shade**

It was another day for Yuzuki.

For Shizuo.

For Simon.

And for Celty.

But not for Izaya.

There was heightening tension brewing between the Yellow Scarves and the Blue Squares. The middle schooler, Kida Masaomi, had no idea what mess he was getting himself into or creating for that matter. Indigo had been robbed one night: windows shattered, supplies looted, and the furniture wrecked and vandalized with spray paint. Needless to say, the damages were costly. Simon claimed the break-in had been done by a few members of the Yellow Scarves. Yuzuki did not have an inkling of why they did such a thing. She doubted it was an order given by Kida. They were friends, after all. Supposed to be anyway.

"The coffee tastes so bitter today," Yumasaki exclaimed, "like the dark shackles that binds the heart of many tragic heroes."

"You read that volume too? Wasn't it just..." Erika sighed romantically.

Yuzuki could not follow their conversation. She did not read manga anymore. She used to own stacks of them back in middle school, but threw them all away once she entered high school. Life was not like a shoujo manga. Most girls did not end up with their high school crushes or ever experienced true love at such a young age. Handsome guys were normally scumbags and would never bother with the class nerds and rich guys did not end up dating poverty-stricken girls either. If those stories reflected reality, then surely, Yuzuki would not be single right now. Holding a tray against her chest, she lowered her eyes. _We're not in high school anymore. Things shouldn't be like the way they were back then even if Izaya is here._

She hoped that was the case.

"Doesn't Yuzuki remind you of that manga with the love triangle? That girl also had silver hair," Erika said. "So? Are there two guys fighting for you, Yuzuki?"

The said girl snapped out of her thoughts. "Of course not."

"Eeh? Really?" Erika was skeptical.

"Really."

Yuzuki forced a laugh. She did not care for love triangles because the only person she would give her heart to was Heiwajima Shizuo. It would only be once in a blue moon that she'd have romantic feelings for someone else. That's how it had been since she graduated from Raijin. She wasn't going to tell Erika that though. Yuzuki did not share her heartache with her friends. Most would probably tell her to give up on someone as impossible as Shizuo. Izaya told her that many times before. It grew to the point where she lost count. In a way, anyone trying to win her over was also aiming for the impossible.

"We're going to the bookstore. See you later!" The duo skipped off to get the new issue of Dengeki Bunko.

Those two were stuck to each other like glue. Yuzuki found it admirable and was envious. As she turned around to go into the store, someone tapped her on the shoulder.

"Don't I get a sample, miss?"

"Sorry, I didn't–" Her voice got caught in her throat.

Were her eyes deceiving her or was Izaya standing before her?

"First you refuse my treat from Russia Sushi and today you ignore me." Hands in his jacket pocket, he twisted his torso as he spoke. "You're so cold to me even though we had so much fun together at Raijin. Nevertheless, I'm relieved to know you're doing well despite the incident with Indigo."

She was speechless. She never (sort of) expected Izaya to come meet her when Shizuo could be nearby, ready to pounce. This was a fairly busy intersection that saw a lot of traffic throughout the day. And how did he know about the robbery? It was a concealed incident that should not have gotten out to the public or even the police.

"I'm an information broker. I know everything. Shall we go in and have a little chat?" he suggested.

As a server, she had no choice other than to welcome him inside. He selected his own seat, picking the one closest to the counter. It was the same table Shizuo occupied yesterday.

"Why don't you join me? Your break is starting right about now anyway." Izaya pulled out a chair for her. Reluctantly, she complied. He went to order beverages and came back with two cappuccinos and a slice of violet velvet cake. "It's my treat. You'll accept it this time I presume?"

She slowly nodded.

Satisfied, he handed her a fork and they shared the cake. This situation was déjà vu for her, except now she was with Izaya. As she ate, she kept looking from side to side. The atmosphere was heavy and it was getting awkward. Izaya was always setting up things so that they were nearly identical to the things she used to do with Shizuo. He wasn't trying to be like Shizuo or trying to replace him; rather, he was making fun of her, ridiculing her feelings for Shizuo. Getting ready to stab her fork through the last piece of cake, Izaya beat her to it. He waved his fork at her in triumph.

"I thought you were treating," she said.

"If you want it that badly then..." Izaya positioned the fork to her mouth. "Say ahhh."

"You can have it."

"So cold." As he lamented on how "poorly" she treated him, Yuzuki took the chance to yank the fork out of his grasp. She ate the last piece of cake. He blinked at his empty hand. "You certainly love sweet things. Be sure to watch your weight." She blushed. "Who knows? Maybe Shizu-chan doesn't like skinny women. Ah, right, you don't really know his type, do you?"

A hurt look flashed across Yuzuki's face.

She quickly recovered.

It became quiet between them.

Yuzuki traced the edge of her ceramic cappuccino cup, all the while avoiding eye contact. Izaya leaned closer, resting his forearms onto the table and angling his head so that he could see her eyes. She flushed a deeper scarlet as a tremendous amount of heat traveled to her face. He knew just what to say and do to make her squirm. It went to show how little she had changed since high school. She finally looked at him, hoping he'd back down, but he stared right back at her, amusement dancing in his eyes.

She swallowed. "What are you doing here, Izaya?"

"My office is in Ikebukuro so it's perfectly natural for me to be in the area." When she did not relax, he cocked his head to the side, his hair falling over his eyes. "There's something you've been looking for, isn't there? If you want to talk about it..." He slid a business card over to her. "You'll know where to find me."

"I don't want it."

There was something Yuzuki had been searching for since high school, but she knew trusting Izaya would be a big mistake on her part. The first time she ever trusted him, he nearly ruined Christmas for her. Izaya was manipulative and it was tempting to seek his guidance. She repeated the same mistakes over and over again in the past and she was only able to stop when it was too late. There was no doubt about it. Orihara Izaya was a devil in disguise, a wolf in sheep's clothing. If he were the serpent then she was Eve, but then what was the apple? That missing item?

"You're lying to yourself again." Izaya chuckled. He flipped her hand and placed the card into her palm.

She looked at the card and then at him.

"I'll be waiting for you. Always," he said.

At that moment, she felt as though something sinful was in her possession. The sensation was all too familiar. Izaya patted her on the head before sauntering out. The cake Yuzuki ate that afternoon left a sour taste in her mouth, one she could not wash out.

Walking home that night was unpleasant. The past was resurfacing and it burdened her to no end. There was little that she regretted about the past, but she was not fully satisfied with it or with the life she was leading now. She continued to stare at the business card pinched between her fingers. _I wonder if Shizuo has seen Izaya yet. That would be ugly. Is Izaya crazy? Having his office in Ikebukuro..._Despite his sadistic personality, she did not detest Izaya. She had mixed feelings and it was difficult for her to express them in words. If she had to, Izaya was like a drug to her—harmful to the mind and body, but given in small doses, he was able to drown her in temporary bliss. Knowing that drove her insane, but she did not use all her strength to reject it. If she had, she would not have sat down with him to eat cake.

The screeching of brakes broke through the silent neighborhood. A van stopped at an intersection not too far from where Yuzuki was. All of a sudden, she saw a group of guys carrying a struggling girl into the van. The girl gave up halfway and did not even scream out for help once. _Wasn't that the girl who was with Kida? _Alarms went off when she saw each guy sporting blue. This could only mean one thing: the Blue Squares were kidnapping Kida's, the leader of the Yellow Scarves, girlfriend.

Upon seeing her, the group rushed in. The van roared to life.

She shielded her eyes from the intensity of the headlights. Adjusting to it, she saw the van charging at her in reverse. She jumped out of the way, landing into a pile of garbage bags. The driver stuck his head out and flipped her the bird. The van raced off before she could record the plate number. Yuzuki rummaged through her purse for her cell phone. It wasn't anywhere to be found. "But I'm certain that I had it in here..." There was no time to mope about a missing phone. She ran out of the back alleys in search for a police box or a payphone. On her way, she bumped into Kadota who appeared to be in equal of a hurry.

"What happened?" Kadota examined her ripped stockings and her left foot, which was missing a shoe.

She told him about what she witnessed.

"Yeah, I know. I'm on my way now." He gave her an assuring nod and went to meet with Togusa and Erika.

* * *

In the parking garage, the Blue Squares were waiting for Kadota. They were going to beat the crap out of Kida once he got here. It was their opportunity for revenge when they were ambushed. They found it hilarious that a kid like Kida thought he could save his girlfriend. That was for most hostage scenarios anyway. Saki was lying unconscious in the back, her left leg swollen from a bone fracture.

"Who was that girl earlier?" Horada asked.

"I think she was a waitress from that Indigo place. I see her passing out fliers all the time," Izumi muttered. "There are rumors going around saying that crappy cafe is a base for a new gang. After we take care of the Yellow Scarves, that place is going down next."

"What a girly color. Maybe it's a gang of girls," another member sitting in the driver's seat snickered. "Think they're hot?"

The rumors sprouted from the Yellow Scarves. Indigo did flaunt its signature color around, especially with the interior of the store and the uniforms of all the employees. No one believed in the rumor, but people had their suspicions, which is why two members broke into the place. When Kida found out, he was furious and made sure those members paid the price. Simon did a number on them as well. The Blue Squares were curious themselves. And, then there was this baseless group on the net...

The door to their van slid open and Yumasaki greeted them.

"You really did kidnap her!" Similar to the conversation he had with Erika earlier, he babbled on about how, unlike in a manga series, no one came to prevent the girl from meeting such a terrible fate, but he would be the one to change that. He splashed alcohol all over everyone and ignited them. Kadota and the others arrived just in time for Yumasaki to escape with Saki in his arms. They proceeded to take her to the hospital. Kadota spotted Kida as they exited the garage.

Kida was stuck in the same place, paralyzed by fear.

"Everything will be alright now," Yuzuki said from behind.

Startled, he spun around.

"Alright? That's impossible! Because I-I..." He bit down on his lip.

She placed a hand on his head. "Let's go see her."

* * *

"Russia Sushi! Sushi good! Sushi yummy!" Simon waved fliers in people's faces, ushering them to take one, but most of them ignored him. After each day, he'd have to sweep up the fliers on the ground. "Saturday night special! Come in!" No matter how many times he was rejected, he always performed his duties with pride and energy. He came to Japan in order to live a different life than he had in the past and he wasn't going to give up so easily just because of a bunch of people wouldn't eat sushi. His face immediately lit up when he spotted Tom.

"Yo, Simon. How's the sushi tonight?" Tom asked.

"Fresh! Opened a fresh can," said Simon. "Not busy? Then eat sushi."

"Actually, I'm going to Indigo. Saturday night is when they open their bar," Tom said, pointing over to the building down the street across from them.

Simon rubbed his chin in thought. He had no idea what Tom was talking about.

"Not many people know about it. Someone introduced me to it, said it was good place for private one-on-ones. I've never been there before. Know what it's like?"

"Indigo? Bar? One-on-ones?" Simon almost dropped his fliers. Yuzuki did not strike him as a person who would have any involvement with shady businesses, whether it was with debt collectors or the black market.

Sensing danger, Tom backed away. "I better get going. Have a good night, Simon."

Crossing the street, he looked back at a dumbfounded Simon. _I guess he's been there before, but under different circumstances. I suppose a coffee shop with a basement bar would come as a surprise._ He slipped through a narrow alleyway to reach a steel door that led to Indigo's basement. Past that was a staircase that led him down to a purple-themed bar and lounge. The furnishing of the room was less embellished compared to upstairs and the room was dimmer. Cigarette smoke fogged the air. Customers were drinking with jazz music playing in the background.

"Welcome, sir." A young woman stepped in front of him. She wore a long violet Chinese dress. The side slit reached her mid-thigh, allowing her to display her slender legs, though the fit of the dress was enough to activate the imagination. Her hair, tied into a bun, was decorated with jeweled-encrusted chopsticks.

Tom mentally whistled. He'd never been to a coffee shop with servers like these. Then again, your average coffee shop did not have connections with the underground network that made up the darker shade of Japan.

"May I have your name, sir?"

"Tanaka Tom. I'm here to see Wataru-san."

Wataru was the owner of Indigo. He started the business a year ago from his own pocket or bank account to be more precise. Judging from the day and night business he ran, Tom was skeptical that Wataru needed a loan. Then again, there were many irrational, ambitious entrepreneurs out there who got themselves involved with crimes lords and tricky deals. When that happened, no matter the conflict, money was always the determining and settling factor. In need of money? That's what loan sharks were for.

"This way, please." The waitress led him to a corner table and seated him. "Wataru-san will be with you shortly. In the meantime, would you like something to drink?"

"Anything will do."

"In that case..." The lady went to fetch him a drink. After a few minutes, she returned with a glass and a bottle of Fine Oak whiskey. "This is an eighteen-year-old bottle of scotch whiskey." She proceeded to pour the contents of the bottle single-handedly.

"Ah, Fuyu. I see you're introducing our guest to our latest import," a raspy voice chimed in.

The waitress, known as Fuyu, bowed to the man who'd just made an entrance. Tom assumed the man to be Wataru, a middle-aged man in a finely-tailored suit who wore his hair with a sleek touch (which he enjoyed smoothing back, probably to show off the fat rings on his fingers). Tom didn't think now was the time to show off, especially since he was in need of money.

"Wataru-san, yes?" Tom stuck out his hand and the man eagerly shook it.

"Yes, yes. The pleasure is all mine, Tom-san."

"Not a bad place you got here. Seems you've done well for yourself."

"I'm glad you like it," said Wataru. Fuyu made her exit. "The girls here are lovely, aren't they? If you have time, you should pay them some company during the night. They can get bored easily. But, enough small talk. I am on a tight schedule and would like to cut to the chase."

"Alright," said Tom, a little put off. "How much do you need?"

"Five hundred grand. The annual revenue is lacking due to renovations, you see, and my bill payments are late," Wataru explained. "Late payments equal late fees. And, my employees need to be paid."

"Renovations?"

"The incident was hushed, but my store was robbed a week ago. The security cameras had been destroyed and the footage stolen so I can't charge anyone for liability."

"I understand that all of this is costly, but five hundred grand is a substantial amount of cash."

"Does it matter? As long as I can pay it back then all is peachy."

"The interest rate has increased by two percent and for that amount, the deadline will be two months. Will you be able to repay it?" When Wataru nodded, Tom dug into his suit and pulled out a loan sheet. He filled out the necessary paperwork and had Wataru sign it. "The money will be dropped off tomorrow." As Tom got up, Wataru placed a firm hand on his shoulder and ushered him back down.

"You haven't finished your drink yet."

* * *

Kida and Yuzuki went to see Saki at Raira General Hospital. She had been recently released from the Emergency Room and was in coma. Yuzuki knew Kida was probably experiencing a whirlwind of emotions and it didn't help when Izaya came. Yuzuki did not know what Izaya was doing in the hospital, but it wasn't hard to put it all together, especially since Izaya was the same person that set Shizuo up for that crime. She was about to tell him to leave, but Izaya held up a finger to shush her.

"I heard she didn't die," Izaya said in a low voice.

Kida emerged from behind the curtains that surrounded the bed.

"Izaya-san..."

"You know what happened to her is your fault. I think it was pretty wise, not letting your feelings overwhelm you and trying to punch me." Just as Izaya finished his sentence, Kida swung his fist at Izaya's face. Izaya grabbed his arm and tossed him aside with little to no effort. "It's natural to direct your anger at me right now. I was deliberately provoking you. She's in coma? Hope she wakes up. Or would it be better for you if she never does?"

"Don't listen to him, Kida-kun," Yuzuki cut in.

Kida was too busy directing his anger at Izaya to listen.

"What do you mean?"

Izaya continued to explain while Yuzuki continued to protest. Her voice drowned out as Kida subconsciously listened only to Izaya, who went on about how Kida's guilt would not disappear whether Saki lived or died. Kida's mind grew hazy, his heart rate quickening as he remembered Saki's scream and how he was too scared to save her. By then, Yuzuki was practically begging for Izaya to stop his mental assault and, as expected, he did not. She buried her face into her hands once she realized it was futile. It was too cruel.

"Your guilt will become your past and she your God. Isn't that fine though? Since you love her..."

Yuzuki finally looked over at Kida, who was silent as Izaya left. It was pointless trying to tell Kida to forget what Izaya had said. What was he thinking saying such things to a middle school student? She cast him one last glance before leaving. Seeing Kida standing there by himself was just another reminder of how powerless and cowardly she was. She couldn't stop Izaya. And she couldn't comfort Kida. Nothing really had changed about her since her high school days. Exiting the sliding doors of the hospital, the night breeze sent a chill down her spine. Her body had broken down into cold sweat. Hearing Izaya say those things to Kida reminded her of the time when her psyche had been abused.

"You seem troubled." Izaya popped up from behind her, resting his hands on her shoulders.

She went stiff.

"Don't look so worried. I'm here to return something of yours." He waved her missing cellphone at her.

He told her not to worry, but that was easier said than done. She was certain her cellphone was in her bag when she was with him earlier. She could only conclude that he had taken it when she wasn't paying attention. What for though? That was troubling her the most. She reached out to grab it, but he held her cellphone higher and out of her reach. His habit of tampering with people's belongings hadn't changed at all.

"Give it back!" she demanded.

"Scary! No, you're the one who's scared. It wasn't too long ago that you heard those words I told Masaomi-kun," Izaya cooed, circling her. She shied away from his scrutinizing gaze, her assertiveness disappearing as quickly as it came. He stood in front of her, leaning forward so that his face was mere inches from hers. "You can't forget about what happened back at Raijin so your feelings have remained stagnant. Your relationship with Shizu-chan cannot evolve. Therefore..."

"Stop it."

"Your unrequited love for him will become your past..."

She covered her ears.

"And I will become your God."


	4. His Ambiguity, Her Artlessness

**Author's Note:** Story is best viewed in 3/4 layout.

Someone left a review saying that Izaya's office is in the wrong location. Thus far, Izaya has not moved his office from Ikebukuro to Shinjuku yet; he moves it after he frames Shizuo. But, I appreciate your input, anonymous reviewer. Also, could you (if you ever come back to read this) clarify as to how Yuzuki's character is too "original" and what do you mean she needs "more suspense"? You've left an interesting opinion that leaves me with questions.

Mochalulu brought up something very interesting that I thought I would explain. The story is a mixture of chapters in the past and present. Therefore, unresolved issues or unexplained developments of the present (i.e. relationships, feelings) are revealed in the past. If not in the past, it is brought into the present to be clarified. Some of you may be wondering why Shizuo and Yuzuki are close even after Chapter Two, which is reasonable. In fact, after reading Chapter Four, you may still be wondering. Hopefully, I will be able to do a good job on answering all your questions.

**Update in 2011: **Lystrious brought up an excellent point about cellphones in correlation to the original timeline. Mikado starts high school in 2004 while in the anime it is in 2010. Following the novel timeline, it is not possible for Yuzuki and Shizuo to text each other in the past. It think it is possible for Celty to have had a PDA (though not an advanced one that could make phone calls), but not a touch-screen phone (not 100% sure what she uses). So, I must debate on which timeline to follow.

**Update in 2014: **So a few years have passed. I finally decided to upload a newer version of Chapter Four to follow Lystrious' comment about the Durarara timeline. Since writing fan fiction is a difficult hobby to maintain at this point in my life, I doubt I will finish this series. However, I should be able to upload at least one more chapter. I will try my best to do more than that, but chances are I will have to sacrifice writing quality in order to produce more chapters. Let's see where this goes.

* * *

**Chapter Four: His Ambiguity, Her Artlessness **

Shizuo and Yuzuki retrieved a piece of their relationship that they had lost. It was not something they themselves had set on recovering; it happened all because they decided to skip class. After discussing where their destination would be, the two went to the park. As they strolled along the gravel pathway, Yuzuki marveled at the naked trees and the frost-stiffened grass. It was hard to believe that an entire two seasons had gone by, such valuable time stolen by Izaya. They would just have to cram two seasons worth of fun into winter to compensate for it.

"Exams are nearing," Yuzuki said with a mixture of disdain and dread. "Math is going to be difficult."

"You'll do fine," said Shizuo. During the time he was free (and not hunting Izaya), he would look around for Yuzuki. Kadota told him that she normally spent her lunch break at the library, studying. She did a lot of studying after school too—which is why he was confident she'd do fine on the exams. He rubbed the back of his neck, recalling the many occasions where he went to pay her a visit and backed off because she was nose deep in her notes.

Ironic how she used to be the one who always came to him and now he was the one trying to find her (now and then anyway). He almost did it subconsciously: searching the hallways for her then realizing what he was doing and questioning why he was doing it. It seemed he got used to her presence to the point where being around her or having her around was the norm. When a person kept talking to you, walking with you, eating with you, that person grew on you and Yuzuki's absence had been felt.

Yuzuki sucked in her lips, unconvinced. Mathematics was her worst subject. Every time the teacher called her up to the board to solve a problem, she would blank out. That resulted in several snickers from her classmates and a smack on the head from the teacher. With each smack, she could retain less and less information. She was glad her other grades exempted her from summer classes.

"We have a break after exams. Wanna do something?" Shizuo suddenly, if not outrageously, asked. Yuzuki gaped at him. Before she could respond, he continued. "But you have to do well on math."

In other words, if she did well, her reward would be to spend time with him. She loved the idea of spending Christmas together, but her family had already planned to go to a relative's house in Osaka. Shizuo, too, probably had plans with his family. Besides, she'd feel guilty taking him away from Kasuka on such a major holiday. Nevertheless, spending quality time, anytime, with Shizuo sounded lovely.

"I'll be leaving for Osaka on the twenty-fourth," said Yuzuki. "Anytime before then we can hang out."

"Then how about the last day of exams?"

"Last day it is."

This was an opportunity she could not miss out on. She was going to work herself to death for it. She was so motivated that right after their conversation, she went straight to the library. Shizuo opted to tag along, but she told him not to since he'd be a distraction. Watching her run off, Shizuo smiled. A barely visible smile, but a smile nevertheless.

For the next few days, Yuzuki reviewed her math notes every free second she had. She indexed all the formulas, committed them to memory, and continuously popped into the faculty office for questions. She even skipped lunch, much to Kadota's surprise. It was painful to refuse karaoke invitations, discount shopping, and all the things most high school girls loved to do—but it would be worth it in the end (if she accomplished her goal). Her studying seemed to be paying off as she no longer blanked out when asked to answer a question; the teacher was pleased with her improvement and stopped throwing chalk at her.

She did have moments of fatigue and did feel a little lonely when she shut herself away and surround herself with books for hours. After multiple run-ins with each other, Shinra of all people noticed and spoke with Shizuo one afternoon. After some whisper whispers, Yuzuki began to find short, encouraging notes in her shoe locker, all initialed H.S and written on a yellow sheet of notebook paper.

"Don't tire yourself out."

"Keep up the hard work."

"Don't forget to eat lunch."

Those were some of the things Shizuo said. He kept all his notes brief, but with each word was a level of care and consideration that sent Yuzuki's heart aflutter. It was kind of shameful, being a "young maiden in love" (as Izaya once haughtily called her) and gushing over every little thing Shizuo did. She couldn't help herself though.

On the last night before the math exam, Yuzuki went to the public library to review everything. There she had the peace and quiet she needed to focus, focus, focus. On her pencil case she pasted Shizuo's most recent note: I'll pick you up around six. Whenever her eyelids felt heavy, one glance at that note was like a shot of espresso. Going through a pile of flashcards, she felt something hot against her cheek. With a surprised jolt, she pulled back from the table and looked to her left to find Izaya holding a warm can of coffee over her head. He offered it to her.

"No thanks," she said, pointing to a nearby sign, which in bold, printed pictures stated that food and beverages were prohibited.

"Why don't you take a break?" Izaya suggested, propping himself up onto the edge of the table.

"I'm almost done here."

"Sure you're not thirsty?"

"I'm sure." She grew visibly uncomfortable as Izaya stared at her. "Can I help you with something?"

"No, no, just looking. At you."

"Can you not? It's very distracting."

"Do you mean to say I'm distracting?"

"I guess you could look at it that way." She slunk back in her seat when the equation she had been working out produced an unreasonable answer. She started to erase her work, the steps taking up nearly half a page. She gave it a second try.

"Such a hard worker," Izaya said teasingly, "and all for Shizu-chan."

The point of her mechanical pencil snapped.

He went on.

"Did you get him a present? Or did you get him nothing since you don't know what he likes?"

"..."

"Think he'll get you something? Well, what you really want is him, though, I highly doubt that will hap—"

"Can you leave me alone?" she mumbled, clicking the butt of her pencil to load more lead.

"Don't be like that." Izaya laughed.

She shot him the closest thing to a glare.

Let's be clear. Yuzuki did not _dislike_ Izaya (even though Shizuo loathed the guy with every cell in his body). But, that didn't mean she _liked_ him or was impartial. She found him rather annoying. Why of all people did he pick her to annoy? She figured it was because of her relationship with Shizuo. What not a better way to provoke your rival by harassing someone close to them? Yuzuki did question whether or not she was close to Shizuo. Close in what sense?

Getting up, she excused herself to the restroom.

Izaya snickered, finding her tough act admirable. He turned her notebook one-hundred-eighty degrees so that he could read it. She had used up twenty pages, all filled with math problems. That was true dedication right there and it was all so she could hang out with Shizuo. Izaya wondered if Yuzuki had actually gotten Shizuo something. He was thinking maybe an ugly handmade scarf or tacky couple rings. Either way, he found it hilarious and desperate of her…

And then, he saw the note on her pencil case.

His grin widened.

And remained upon her return.

Too bad Yuzuki could not return his expression. In fact she seemed distraught.

"I understand. I'll get out of your way." He sighed. "Good luck tomorrow."

"Thanks," she said, not too trusting of his sudden retreat.

"Don't make that face. You can always trust me, Yuzuki, just as much as I trust you." Izaya placed the can of coffee down near her pencil case. "Drink up." With that, he was off.

Pressing the tip of her pencil to her bottom lip, Yuzuki lifted her eyes from the pages of her book to the can of coffee. It was still hot.

* * *

The next day, Yuzuki studied until the last second, right before the teacher handed out the exam sheets. Shizuo watched her from the corner of his eye. She was pumped, with her hands rolled into fists and sleeves scrunched up her arms. Actually, she looked like she was ready to beat the crap out of someone. After two hours, the semester exams were over. Everyone immediately went to ask their friends how they did. Yuzuki stretched her arms out, sighing in satisfaction. Her pencil couldn't stop moving during the exam. If that did not inspire confidence, nothing else would.

When she had packed up for the day, her homeroom teacher asked her to run an errand for him. She did as told. Holding a stack of envelopes to her chest, she traversed the west wing hallway, greeting and congratulating all her friends as they rushed by, cheering about the holiday. Up ahead, she saw Shizuo coming in her direction. Shinra was at his side, prattling on about something. As Shizuo and her passed each other, he slipped a note into her schoolbag. Her eyes practically sparkled. She had fulfilled her end of the bargain.

Now it was his turn to fulfill his end.

They went home separately to get ready. Outside, she saw Izaya at the gate, dressed in his long black coat with a fur trimmed collar. His coat was unbuttoned and his hood was down, which explained his red ears and cheek.

"Are you waiting for someone?" she asked.

"I was." He faced her. "But she's here now."

Yuzuki looked around for another girl. That's when it dawned on her that he was referring to her. Izaya laughed out loud at her flabbergast expression. He stepped forward and took out an envelope with a lollipop attached to it.

"For me?" She pointed to herself. "I can't..." She felt guilty refusing his gift after he waited for her in this freezing weather. It was his fault for not buttoning up, but still, he waited. It made her feel worse since she told him to go away yesterday. She gave in and accepted it. "Thanks. I appreciate it." Taking her schoolbag, she unbuckled the lock and tried to make space for the card so that it wouldn't get crushed. As she fumbled through her bag, she saw a streak of silver. She stopped.

"What's wrong?" Izaya asked.

"Nothing..." She put the envelope away and closed her bag. "Well, thanks again." She went onto her tippy toes and reached for his hood. She pulled it over his head. "You'll get sick if you don't dress properly. Happy holidays."

Izaya watched her run off.

"Happy holidays to you too, Yuzuki-chan."

At home, Yuzuki quickly got changed into a pair of wool tights and a baggy sweater that reached just below her butt. She would have liked to wear a red dress with puffy white embroidery to express her holiday spirit, but she did not want to overdress and embarrass Shizuo. She got her messenger bag and stuffed it with the presents she got for Shizuo and his family. That's when she remembered Izaya's gift. Getting her schoolbag, it felt unusually light. She looked inside and shrieked. There was a five inch gash on the bottom of her bag. All her books were there, except her pencil case, wallet, and the note Shizuo had given her. She was so caught up in getting home that she didn't hear her things fall out. By now, she was certain her things had been picked up by someone else. It was useless to backtrack.

"How did that hole get there?"

Her bag was made out of leather. Fake or real, it was brand new. There was no way it could rip unless someone had intentionally did something to it. The realization hit her like a slap in the face. That silver streak she saw must have been a knife and she knew Izaya carried a flick blade with him. Gripping Izaya's present, she ripped apart the envelope and read the card.

**Have a Merry Christmas, Yuzuki!**

**Be careful about your things from now on. Maybe that will be your New Year's resolution.**

**Love, **

**Orihara Izaya**

Taped inside the card was a gold ring with a plastic ootoro piece on top. Crumbling the card, she screamed his name off the top of her lungs.

The said perpetrator was skipping along the riverbank, waving a yellow sheet of notebook paper in the air like a victory flag. "Let's meet in front of Russia Sushi at five thirty," it read.

It had taken some effort on Izaya's part to forge Shizuo's penmanship and draw up a phony note telling Yuzuki that Shizuo would pick her up from her house. When he spied the two together in the hallway, right after exams, he was right to assume that Yuzuki would receive one final note. If Izaya hadn't snatched that note earlier, his plan would have been foiled. He got a perfect view of where she had stored it when she opened her bag to put away his card. It took a swift slice of his knife and his plan was sealed.

"If Shizu-chan waits long enough, maybe he'll freeze to death." Izaya tore up the note and in a dramatic gesture, tossed the pieces into the air as if it were confetti, and scattered them in his wake. "This is too much fun! It's unbelievable how something can be this fun!" A gust of wind sent his hood blowing back. He covered his face with one hand and slouched forward. "Yuzuki-chan, I hope you never cease to entertain me. Let's see if you've been naughty or nice this year."

Down by the river, Shinra was collecting frozen specimens for an experiment. Too engrossed with his exploration, he did not hear Izaya's maniacal laughter ringing in the distance. Celty arrived at the scene. Izaya was long gone by then.

"Celty! It'll only take a little longer!" Shinra assured.

She typed into her PDA. "Do you know this girl?" She showed him a student ID.

Shinra adjusted his glasses and took a peek. "That's Yuzuki. You two have met before."

"The one who's friends with Shizuo?"

"That's right. Why do you have her ID?"

On her way over, Celty found a pencil case and wallet. After punching a guy who kept insisting the wallet belonged to him, she wanted to return the things to their rightful owner. Losing a wallet didn't exactly make for a good night sleep.

"Do you know where she is?" she asked.

"Well, Shizuo said he was going to meet up with her. You might as well give it to him. He's by Russian Sushi," Shinra replied as he dried off his hands.

Celty tossed a packet of hand warmers at him. Anyone fishing through cold water in the winter was bound to get frost bite or worse, freeze to death. For someone lacking a head, she didn't want Shinra missing any limbs. Shinra went to hug her as a sign of gratitude. She sped off on her motorcycle before he got the chance. She decided to take a neighborhood route. Cutting in between buildings, through narrow passages, she passed an apartment complex. A girl was outside and Celty recognized her from the student ID. She hit the brakes, the tires screeching from the abrupt halt. The girl watched as Celty got off her motorcycle and approached her.

"Kiyomizu Yuzuki, I believe these belong to you." Celty handed her the pencil case and wallet.

"Thank you!" Yuzuki exclaimed, happy and relieved at the same time. "Don't know how much this—You saved me a lot of trouble! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"No problem."

"By any chance, did you see a note somewhere nearby? A folded, yellow sheet of paper?"

Celty shook her head.

Crestfallen, Yuzuki heaved a sigh. "I see...Thanks again!"

Celty mounted her bike. About to leave, she remembered what Shinra had said. Typing for a while, she finally showed Yuzuki the screen. "You're going to meet Shizuo, right? Don't keep him waiting for too long in this temperature."

Yuzuki reread the message, confused.

"Meet? He said he would pick me up."

"I was told he was by Russia Sushi."

There was a good period of silence between them. Yuzuki tried to remember if she had told Shizuo about a change in plans. If memory served her correctly, no such talk had taken place. He hadn't said anything to her either, so what had caused this mix up? Putting two and two together, the answer became embarrassingly obvious. This was all Izaya's fault. No use in getting angry though. It was already six thirty. Yuzuki clapped her hands together in an entreating manner.

"Can please you take me to him?"

* * *

Shizuo was pacing back and forth outside of Russia Sushi. His fingers and toes were numb and if he continued to breathe in the winter air, his lungs would turn into ice. The wind did not do much for him either. Simon had advised him to wait inside, but Shizuo wouldn't have it. He thought he'd break something if he did.

"Annoyed, annoyed, annoyed," he repeated over and over again as he paced back and forth to keep warm and release at least an ounce of irritation. "What's taking her so long?" He hoped nothing had happened to her. It was abnormal for her to be late. She was a punctual person. He thought about searching for her, but as his parents once told him when he was a child, if he ever got lost, he should wait for others to find him. But, he wasn't the one lost right now. What if Yuzuki was waiting for him to find her?

"Shizuo!"

He shifted his head to see Yuzuki rushing towards him. Crouching before him, Yuzuki attempted to catch her breath.

"Sorry! I lost your note," she panted, "ha...give me a sec."

"Did you run here?"

"Halfway. Celty gave me a lift." She placed a hand over her chest. Her heart rate was returning to normal. "Sorry. I lost the note you gave me. I still thought you were picking me up."

"Picking you up? When did I say that?"

"Um, you told me through one of your notes, the one you gave me yesterday."

"I did?" Shizuo genuinely looked baffled.

Yuzuki was getting mighty suspicious. _Don't tell me that note was a fake. If Izaya had written it, it'd make sense why he'd slash my bag. That means he saw Shizuo give me today's note. To think he'd go that far..._She could not grasp why. Shizuo and Izaya were archenemies and she was a wise target, but why did Izaya have to involve her this far? She wanted to live a peaceful school life with her friends and Izaya was making that the impossible. Yuzuki covered her mouth. Apparently, she had been talking out loud.

Shizuo was seething. He began to head off somewhere. "I'm gonna kill that Izaya. Kill, kill, kill!" he growled, trudging forward despite Yuzuki's effort to stop him.

"It's okay!" Digging the heels of her boots into the pavement, she managed to tug him back a millimeter. Then she backward slipped on the ice. Shizuo grabbed her hand and pulled her forward.

"Be careful," he said, still holding her. "Your hand's cold."

It was the perfect moment to make him forget about Izaya.

"Then we should get going." Yuzuki was pretty sure it was Shizuo's hand that was cold. "Plus, I'm getting hungry."

Shizuo narrowed his eyes. He opened his mouth and closed it. He repeated this three more times before he finally said, "What do you wanna eat? There's a café that recently opened, if you want to try it out. There's also another café, which got decent reviews I heard." He was so vague when it came to doing things with her. He wasn't sure what kind of places interested her, except bakeries. "Or we can get cake."

She smiled up at him. "I don't care what we do," she said without thinking.

Again, Shizuo opened his mouth, but no words came out.

His lack of response and Yuzuki's now thinking brain got her blushing.

They stood there in front of Russia Sushi, holding hands. Simon was watching from inside with a wide grin. He stepped out to invite them in. The restaurant was having a holiday discount and a limited time offer of Christmas Cake too.

"Warm inside. Cold outside. Come in!" Simon exclaimed. He ushered them inside despite Shizuo's protest. Simon seated them at one of the tables in the private rooms usually meant for large parties. Since there were only five other customers, it wasn't a big deal. Yuzuki and Shizuo took off their coats. Simon went to hang them up in the closet after bringing them tea and menus.

Yuzuki winced as she touched the searing cup handle. The cup began tottering on the table. She reached out to stop it from tipping over, but was too afraid to touch it. Shizuo steadied the cup by pressing his finger down on the rim. He handed her a napkin. She wrapped it around the cup handle and tried picking it up again. It worked like a charm. The steam emitting from the tea rose to the ceiling, resembling a flowing ribbon. As the ribbon began to shrink, Yuzuki deemed the tea safe to drink.

Simon returned with a wreath around his neck.

"Order ready? I make it on house. Must eat lots this holiday." Simon laughed merrily, his shoulders jolting with each "ha".

Shizuo looked to Yuzuki. He set aside the menu; he had no preference.

"We'll have two Kremlin nigiri, please," ordered Yuzuki.

"Okay, coming right up!" Simon gave her a thumbs up before taking his leave.

Once Simon shut the sliding doors, silence fell between the two. Holding her cup between her hands, Yuzuki sneaked a glance at Shizuo, who leaned back with his hands on the tatami mat to support his weight, though he probably could have just used his pinky finger. They could hear the muffled voices of the other customers, some singing unrehearsed carols, some jingling bells, and others wishing each other a wonderful, early Christmas. This was not how Yuzuki had pictured her day with Shizuo to be, given that she did not anticipate Izaya to interfere. To think she had even accepted his gift out of kindness.

"Yuzuki," Shizuo said, sitting upright. "Is something bothering you?"

"Eh?" She blinked. "Why do you ask?"

"You've been gripping your cup for a while...like you were thinking about something."

More like _someone_. She wasn't foolish enough to bring up Izaya's name. Just the sound of it ignited a storm and filled Shizuo with the intent to kill—when all Yuzuki wanted was for Shizuo to think, as selfish as it was, about her. Still waiting for her response, Shizuo took note of her solemn expression. His eyes flickered to her hands. She was squeezing her cup.

"Right. I have something for you," he went on, rummaging through his pocket. "Come here."

This piqued her interest. Crawling to the other side of the table, she saw him take out a necklace. Dangling from the dainty chain was a porcelain pendant with a sunflower painted on it; its circular shape set in a shallow golden frame.

"Pretty...this isn't vintage is it?" asked Yuzuki.

"No, I bought it from a street vendor."

He undid the clasp and leaned forward to wrap the chain around her neck. Yuzuki stiffened. Her body acted on impulse, having yet grown accustom to such proximity, especially since his face was next to hers. She listened to his steady breaths while forgetting to breathe herself. The moment he pulled away, she exhaled.

"Is it stuffy in here? Want me to open the door?" he asked.

Having yet to regain composure, Yuzuki shook her head. _That's not it! You're the one making me..._"A-Ah, well, thanks for the necklace. I really like it. I-I guess I should give you yours, huh? Your gift I mean, not your necklace." She dragged her messenger bag over and proceeded to unpack it. "I got something for your parents and brother, not sure if they'll like it—" She stacked two boxes onto the table. "—and, this is yours." She handed him a rectangular box wrapped in red paper with a crosshatched pattern, topped with a bow and bell. The other gifts were wrapped with individual designs and different styled bows.

Shizuo began to wonder if he should've boxed the necklace. Taking his present, he examined the corners, debating on how to open it. It would be such a waste to tear it open after all the trouble Yuzuki had gone through to wrap it so meticulously. Unfolding two corners, he managed to slip the box out. Underneath a pile of green tissue paper, he saw a pair of leather gloves.

"If you're going to fight in the cold, you'll need a good pair of gloves," Yuzuki said lightheartedly.

"Thank...you." Shizuo tried them on. The gloves fit perfectly.

"Maybe I should've gotten them in another color."

"I like it." He waved a hand towards the stack of presents on the table. "You didn't have to."

"But I wanted to."

"Yuzuki, I–"

Simon burst into the room. "Food ready!" He set two trays of sushi down, but not without noticing that Yuzuki had switched to Shizuo's side of the table. "Hope you did not wait long. Need more tea? Me get you more!"

The door shut for the fourth time, after Simon had refilled their cups.

Yuzuki scratched her cheek. "You were saying something?"

"It wasn't important," said Shizuo.

Yuzuki plopped a piece of nigiri into her mouth. She knew Shizuo to be a man of few words and one who got irritated by those of many. Therefore, this sudden reservation did not come off as offensive to her. To be honest, she didn't know if it was because Shizuo had nothing to say or because he disliked drawn out conversations. Then again, she didn't know much about him, having held herself back from probing into his background in fear he would come to hate her. On second thought, she hadn't shown much fear when she used to pester him in middle school by making him lunch when they hardly knew each other, "hardly" as in they did not acknowledge each other. As to what level their relationship was now...

"Good job on the exam," Shizuo said out of nowhere. "It must've been tough...studying so much."

"It's not like I've gotten my score back, but I'm certain I passed. All that effort was worth it." She looked to him, her smile faltering as she met his gaze. He wore a slight scowl and a slight hint of concern on his face. Altogether though, she could not read his expression. Just then, with nimble fingers, he touched her cheek. As they lingered there, she felt her own hand move to overlap his.

The door opened again.

Shizuo dropped his hand and clicked his teeth. As expected, Simon was at the doorway, holding a cake with lit candles that sparkled like fireworks. Behind him, the restaurant was dark. The only light source came from the various cakes that had been delivered to the other customers.

"Christmas Cake from me!"

As grateful as she was for the cake, Yuzuki was a tad irritated at Simon for spoiling the mood. Simon seemed to notice the mental glares being thrown his way and turned off the ceiling lamp.

"Thanks for the cake. Did you want a slice?" said Yuzuki.

"Oh, no no no. Can't do that." Simon passed out plates and cutlery before taking their finished sushi trays. "Enjoy!"

Hopefully, that would be the last interruption of the night. Yuzuki clapped her hands together, wowed by the dazzling light show before her. It was a mini strawberry cake, topped with a chocolate mistletoe and sign that wished them a Merry Christmas.

"Let's blow out the candles together," she gushed.

The sparks flying from the candles were reflected in her eyes. A corner of Shizuo's lips curved into an endearing smirk. "Should we make a wish?"

"On the count of three." Yuzuki held up a finger.

One.

Shizuo and her leveled themselves with the cake.

Two.

They looked at each other.

Three!

Light vanished in an instant. And yet, everything seemed to move slowly, the atmosphere warping with sickening dread. Yuzuki's smile faded to a frown as she watched the darkness engulf Shizuo's piece by piece, as if devouring him. Yuzuki latched herself to his sleeve, clutched the fabric desperately, and shut her eyes as if that would appease everything. Her heart was restless. Restless with the premonition that this coming year would be filled with broken promises and unmet expectations. Even so, that night, she swore to herself that one day she would confess to Shizuo.

_"Be careful about your things from now on. Maybe that will be your New Year's resolution."_

Her eyes snapped open.


	5. Black Coffee

**Author's Note: **I updated a new chapter! My goodness, I worked on this chapter all day. What an accomplishment. Hopefully I can keep this up.

A thank you to those who painstakingly follow this story and another thank you to those simply dropping by and reading it for the first time. Just a few notes: (1) this chapter is in the present; (2) story is better read in the 3/4 format; (3) Shizuo has started his job as a bartender.

* * *

**Chapter Five: Black Coffee**

_"You can't forget about what happened back at Raijin so your feelings have remained stagnant."_

Yuzuki stood at the crossroads down by Russia Sushi. Passersby took the liberty of helping themselves to Indigo's daily samples. Today it was espresso shots. With an orange twist! One by the one, the people of Ikebukuro took their shots until the tray was completely empty. They were so used to the timely service and refills that someone reached for a cup without looking and felt only air. When they asked Yuzuki to get out some more samples, their requests went unheard and they stormed off, briefcases in tow.

"Yuzuki."

_"Your relationship with Shizu-chan cannot evolve."_

"Yuzuki."

_"Your unrequited love for him will become your past and I will become your God."_

"Yuzuki."

Gasping as someone gently shook her by the shoulder, Yuzuki awoke from her daze and saw Simon standing before her. There was concern written all over his face. Realizing her mind had wandered off again and Simon had clearly noticed, she let out a hollow laugh. "Looks like I need more samples," she said, brushing a strand of hair behind an ear. "Don't worry about me. I didn't get much sleep last night. A cup of joe should do the trick."

"Something bother you? I listen!" Simon encouraged her to open up to him. "Maybe come inside. Yummy sushi makes talkative people."

"I appreciate it, but I'll pass. I can't be slacking off from work, especially after the robbery."

"Robbery, robbery...Tom-san went to Indigo a week ago, I think, said he was going to bar."

"Our basement bar and lounge," Yuzuki clarified for him. Judging by Simon's face, she knew what he was thinking. "It's a neutral ground, where we offer clients the privacy they need to discuss what they need to discuss." She emphasized the word neutral. "I myself am not getting into unfair deals and signing my life away. Neither are the girls."

"Then why can't you sleep at night? What keep you awake?"

Yuzuki averted his gaze. "Who knows." Shrugging with a nonchalant smile, she returned to Indigo without another word.

Simon watched her go, unconvinced.

As soon as Yuzuki was inside Indigo, she hurried behind the counter, fumbled through the bottom cabinets, and took out a bottle of wine. The girls and her always kept some liquor on the first floor in case of emergencies. This was an emergency. Unscrewing the cap, Yuzuki poured herself a gratuitous serving of pink moscato. She gulped it down and helped herself to a second serving. Combing a hand through her hair, she sighed as the alcohol began to work its magic. Fuyu, who had been ringing up a customer, looked at Yuzuki who was sitting on the floor, out of the customer's sight.

"I thought you didn't drink," Fuyu said as the customer left.

Pouring herself a third glass, Yuzuki said (very coherently in fact), "I drink on certain occasions."

"And today's one of those occasions? Get me a glass too. I'll have Satoko man the register." Joining Yuzuki on the floor, Fuyu popped open a bottle of extra dry wine. Clinking glasses, they shared it amongst themselves. Draining her glass, Fuyu grimaced delightfully at the acidic taste. "That hits the spot! Woohoo...God that's good. Now if I could have a smoke...Say, Yuzuki, have you heard?"

"Heard what?"

"A little over a week ago, Wataru-san met with a gentleman with dreadlocks. He was a debt collector."

"Our boss is in debt?"

"No, I believe he was taking out a loan. Satoko overheard them. Apparently Wataru-san took out five hundred grand."

"Five hundred? What does he need that kind of money for?" Yuzuki thought Indigo did very well financially.

"Don't know. I can understand if he borrowed money to pay for the repairs, but I doubt the renovations cost that much. Something fishy is going on and it stinks. If he had filed a police report, insurance would have covered a good share of the repairs. He claims he didn't want to go to the police because the security footage that captured the robbery was stolen. He thought that without the footage our case was lost. But, since when did you need visible proof (other than a wrecked shop) to report a robbery on sufficient grounds?"

Yuzuki stopped in mid-sip. _That's true. Our best option was to file a police report. Kida-kun would have gotten in trouble since the perpetrators turned out to be members of the Yellow Scarves. But, Wataru could care less about a gang of school kids. He'd do anything to get them arrested. _"Fuyu, do you think Wataru didn't file a report because he didn't want the police to catch the culprits?"

"What do you mean?"

"Let's say Wataru filed a police report. Naturally, he would be required to claim all missing items and a police investigation would ensue. Say, the police caught the culprits (which most certainly would have happened since even Simon knew who they were); the police would want to know what they stole, right? What if Wataru didn't want the culprits to talk to the police because he had something to hide?"

"You mean Wataru-san thought it would be safer to let the thieves go than to have them interrogated by the police?"

"Exactly. Captured criminals make for vengeful spirits. If Wataru had something he wanted to hide from the police, something the robbers saw when they broke into Indigo, don't you think he'd want to sweep everything under the rug?"

"Makes sense. What could he be hiding though?"

Fuyu and Yuzuki exchanged looks. Trepidation was what they felt. A fear more potent than the wine on their lips.

* * *

"No way! Wataru of Indigo took out a five hundred grand loan?" Izaya laughed as he held his cellphone to his ear. "Well, that man does have some expensive hobbies: collecting ancient jewelry, Elizabethan silver, and even religious relics."

The person on the other line spoke for a while.

"That kind of money won't be paid back so easily in two months. Indigo doesn't do that well, not when the owner is pocketing money and manipulating the books. Those girls won't be pleased with him once they find out." Swiveling in his office chair, Izaya hummed as he listened to the other person respond. "If Awakusu-Kai catches wind of this, they'll be on him like a pack of wild dogs."

Another pause.

"Hah? Why am I bringing them up? See, Awakusu had arranged a pick-up at a warehouse in Shibuya. They were smuggling weapons. What they didn't know was that Wataru, on a completely separate business, had arranged his own pick-up at the same warehouse. He had imported stolen art. The moment the two groups saw each other, there was a biiiig misunderstanding. Wataru thought they were after his paintings while Awakusu thought he was after their goods. There was a skirmish with both sides injured as a result."

Another pause.

"Get to the point? Oh, the misunderstanding was resolved, but not without bitter feelings. There's a girl at Indigo who has ties with Awakusu. She's a friend of one of their friends; something like that. If Wataru upsets her, they won't let him off the hook. If I recall correctly, the girl was Fuyu...Mhmn, mhmn, I know. Let's see how it all plays out. Talk to you later."

More muffled talking and the call ended. Closing his phone, Izaya leaned back in his seat, satisfied with himself.

"Well, well, well, looks like Indigo will be the next hotspot in the months to come." Playing around with another cellphone, he drew up a photo and enlarged it so that it covered the entire screen. It was a picture of Yuzuki with her hair down. She had on her trademark purple dress and was offering samples of fried taro cakes. It had been taken a couple of weeks ago, before he decided to approach her. "Where oh where could her hotspot be?"

* * *

"Shit, that's scorching," was what Shizuo muttered as he washed a crate of dirty martini glasses. Easing the temperature, he ran the glasses under the sink, working them over delicately and setting them on a flat surface to temporarily dry. The low tempo of the music in the background helped him find a productive pace. It was a little past the lunch rush. Not many customers remained. His boss alone was able to take care of the guests, which was why Shizuo was doing some cleaning.

He heard the front door swing open and close quietly.

"Welcome, miss," he heard his boss say. "My, what a rare sight. Here to see Shizuo?"

At the sound of his name, Shizuo stopped what he was doing and turned around. Yuzuki had dropped by. Although out of uniform, she had on a pair of purple pantyhose underneath a skirt that was of a lighter, albeit similar, shade. Either she couldn't get out of her waitress character or she learned to adore the color. (Shizuo didn't remember her wearing so much purple back in high school.) She sauntered over to one end of the bar, away from the other customers. The boss gave Shizuo the okay to serve her.

"What'll it be, _miss_?"

"I'll have my cocktail with one ounce of raspberry liqueur, one ounce of coconut rum, and pineapple juice. And a side of maraschino cherries, please."

"Coming right up." Shizuo took out a steel double-sided cup and began to concoct her cocktail of choice. After some precise measurements, he was shaking up her drink. "On your lunch break?" he asked.

"Nope, took the rest of the day off," she said. So much for not slacking off.

"You don't usually leave work early." Shizuo slowly poured her drink into a glass. He slid it over to her. "Did something happen?"

"I wanted to see you."

Shizuo clicked his teeth, not at her, but at what she said. "You didn't have to do that. Your job is more important."

"I don't think so," Yuzuki said, taking a cherry by the stem and twirling it about. As always, Shizuo had nothing to say to _that_. Biting off the cherry, she took a sip of her drink and savored the sweet and bitter balance. After the many glasses of wine she had back at Indigo, it was surprising how she was still coherent. She could hold her liquor, but with the added stress these past days, she should have lost herself hours ago.

"I heard from Simon that you haven't been yourself lately," Shizuo suddenly said.

"Simon told you that? He's exaggerating. I've just been tired. Overworking, probably."

"Is your boss giving you a hard time? Or is it the customers? Because if anyone—"

"Izaya," is what she wanted to say. His name alone was self-explanatory. She wanted to get it off her chest, be honest, and have Shizuo chase that menace away. But, then Shizuo would leave her too, like he did in high school. And she'd be alone. She was under the assumption that Izaya wanted her to tell Shizuo so that the very thing she was afraid of would happen. There was the likelihood that Izaya had a trap waiting for Shizuo if he did come after him. She didn't want Shizuo to get in trouble because of her. He had finally found a "stable" job he seemed content with.

_It's not like Izaya has done anything. All he's done is try to rile me up so that I'll open a chance for him to actually do something. What he did with Kida-kun though... _Mulling it over, one could exempt Izaya of any fault. He did manipulate Kida into seeking his guidance, which in turn, furthered the rivalry between the Yellow Scarves and Blue Squares. However, Izaya himself did not kidnap a girl or stop Kida from saving her. He never held a gun to anyone's head. _Either way, this doesn't involve Shizuo._

"No one's giving me a hard time," she assured with a bright voice. "I've been kind of moody, so it's really me who's putting myself down."

"Yuzuki. We've known each other since middle school. I can tell when you're lying." Shizuo looked her in the eyes. "If there's something on your mind, tell me."

How could she?

Downing the rest of her cocktail was all Yuzuki could do.

She began to gather her belongings. "I forgot that I have something urgent to do. I'll stop by tomorrow. Just you wait. I'll be back to normal, you'll see." Giving Shizuo no time to reply, she slipped him a few bills, told him to keep the change, hopped off the stool, said goodbye to his boss, and hurried out. As soon as she was outside, she looked up at the sky and took the biggest breath of her life.

She should've had some coffee.

* * *

Saki was awake in her hospital bed, listening to music. She had a clear view of the hospital's front driveway, where ambulances and visiting cars drove through. With a magazine spread open on her lap, she hummed along to the song buzzing through her earphones. The whole time she had this unreadable smile plastered on her pale face. Kida came to visit earlier, attempted to anyway.

There was a knock.

"Come in."

Much to her (half)surprise, her visitor was not Kida or Izaya, but Yuzuki.

This was her first time visiting Saki since she woke from her coma. Closing the door on her way in, Yuzuki placed a fruits basket down by the bed before pulling up a chair. Removing her earphones, Saki straightened herself and gave Yuzuki her undivided attention.

"Glad to see you're doing okay," Yuzuki said. "Would you like me to peel an apple for you? Or get you something to drink?"

"I'm good. I recently had lunch. Thanks for coming," Saki said in her usual happy yet melancholic tone.

"How long until you get out?"

"A couple of more months. I'll be able to walk again though."

"I see. That's a relief. Has, um, Kida-kun come to visit you?" Yuzuku hesitantly asked, eying the fresh flowers by the window.

Saki followed her gaze. "He has. I have a clear view from the window...So, what did you want to talk about today?" Yuzuki looked confused. "That's why you came, isn't it? Because you wanted something?" Yuzuki was unmoving. "I heard from Izaya-san that you saw the Blue Squares take me away and that you tried to get help. You even came to see me with Masaomi."

"Izaya...told you to let yourself get kidnapped...didn't he?" Yuzuki said.

"You think he did?"

"It seems like something he'd do to trap Kida-kun, but, you're not out to trap him, are you? Because you care about him."

"I do. That's why I don't blame him for not coming."

"Mikajima...I want to help you and Kida-kun. You don't have to listen to Izaya. He's not God and even if he were that doesn't mean you should obey him." Yuzuki had once vaguely heard about Izaya's cult-like followers (or worshipers): young girls who marveled at his all-knowing air as though he were an omnipotent being. "There's no way I can put myself in your shoes and understand what you went through or what you're going through at this very moment, but don't you think this is wrong? Izaya is playing around and he doesn't care who gets hurt. In fact, he wants others to hurt. I know it's up to Kida-kun to settle this, but—"

"You know, Izaya-san knows everything and he's always right." Saki was still smiling. "He said you'd come talk to me. He said that instead of confronting him, you would persuade me to tell you what he's thinking—because you're scared, scared of making a bold move and later be wrong. You'd rather have me give you the answers instead of doing everything in your power to find them yourself. It's not Masaomi or me you're out to protect, but yourself. You don't want to make any sacrifices. You don't want Izaya-san to take anything away from you, but you also don't want to lose anything even if it helps you stop Izaya-san."

All Yuzuki could muster was a, "That's not...true."

Even that response seemed to have been expected.

"It's because you're like that, you'll never get anywhere," Saki said as if reciting a grand speech that was now coming to a closure. "That's what Izaya-san told me."

By the end of it all, Yuzuki's heart had sunk to the pits of her stomach.

Words failed her.

She was terrified.

She couldn't even get up and run out of the room like she so helplessly wanted.

"So, Yuzuki." Saki faced her with the same unreadable smile. "Is Izaya-san right?"


	6. His Fascination, Her Folly

**Author's Note: **Another new chapter that's longer than the previous one! Hopefully, the writing and storytelling is at least bearable and doesn't read as though it was rushed. The high school chapters are winding down. I intend to have two to three more before the storyline remains in the present, shifting to when Mikado moves to Ikebukuro (if I ever get there).

* * *

**Chapter Six: His Fascination, Her Folly  
**

"Iiiiizaaaayaaa!"

Yuzuki was on the second floor, poised in front of an open window. Down below Shizuo and Izaya were positioned in the tennis court as if they were in a Western film filled with guns and cowboys. A tumbleweed would roll by any minute now. The holidays were over, the celebrations at an end, and the prospects of a normal, peaceful school life at a still. Shizuo did not forget the sneaky stunt Izaya had pulled during the week of exams. Yuzuki semi-wished he had. They had planned to get bread together at the cafeteria until, what do you know, Izaya appeared and a vending machine was sent flying. One thing led to another. Shizuo and Izaya jumped out the second-story window. Sipping a juice box, she leaned out the window to get a better look as Shizuo tore off the tennis nets and tried to ensnare his opponent. With perfect precision, Izaya sliced the nets into clean-cut strips. They charged at each other.

Kadota came over to hand her a bag of curry and pizza buns. "They're at it again?"

Biting into a pizza bun, Yuzuki simply nodded. The two watched rather lackadaisically at the fight going on below. Yuzuki had expected Izaya to run off by now, but he was holding his end for once. After what he did to her, she kind of wanted Shizuo to land at least one (or two) punch to his face (or stomach). Kadota uttered a sound of surprise and stumbled back from the window. Yuzuki felt a shadow loom over her. Slowly looking up, her grip on her juice box tightened, squirting apple juice into her ear. Izaya had swung himself up from a tree and onto the windowsill.

He greeted her with a friendly "ya" before leaping into the hallway.

Yuzuki looked back at the window and saw Shizuo flying at her. They stared at each other in mutual shock. Right when their foreheads were about to meet in a painful collision, Kadota pushed her out of the way, wrapping his arms around her and sending both of them rolling on the floor. His body cushioned her fall. Shizuo came running towards them. The pizza bun she'd been eating had broken apart and was splattered on the wall (after Shizuo headbutted it). Her juice box somehow ended up under Kadota, who was sprawled on his back, but not for long, for he easily got to his feet.

"Yuzuki," was all Shizuo could say as he helped her up. He looked guilt-ridden.

She patted down her clothes. "I'm fine, absolutely fine!" she assured him, flexing her arms as a sign of strength.

Shizuo looked to Kadota. "Thanks."

"Don't sweat it."

"I wouldn't say that," Izaya chirped in, mindful of the distance between him and them. "Shizu-chan could have seriously hurt her (look what he did to that poor pizza bun), could have knocked her out cold actually. I'd be careful if I were you, Yuzuki. One day he might lose control and you'll be left to your own device."

Spinning on his heels, Shizuo shot Izaya a fierce glare. Through gritted teeth, he muttered, "Get lost."

For once, Izaya was openly irritated and disappointed, probably because he expected Shizuo to continue the chase and leave Yuzuki in the dust. Before the flea could get another word in, Yuzuki stepped forward and turned Shizuo towards her. After some whispering and gentle nudging, they were off in one piece (peace).

"Yuzuki's a good girl," Kadota said, throwing Izaya a backward glance. "Doesn't seem fair to make fun of her so much."

"A good girl? Is that what you see?" Izaya scoffed a playful scoff. "Rare for you to care what I'm up to."

"Like I said, Yuzuki's a good girl."

"Oh? Are you going to get in my way?"

Kadota shrugged. "Don't know. Are you going to put up a fight if I do?"

"That depends. Is Yuzuki someone worth fighting for?"

* * *

"So if I become uninteresting, he'll leave me alone? Why do I doubt that?" said Yuzuki as she browsed the library shelves. Flipping through a book, she gave it a quick scan and stuck it back in its original place. Kadota followed her around, finding nothing better to do for the time being. Shizuo had already gone home after he received a call from his parents that Kasuka was home alone with a fever. "What does interesting mean to him anyway?"

"Who knows, wouldn't hurt to ask him," said Kadota with an air of indifference.

Yuzuki gave him a look that went ignored as Kadota found an interesting read from the shelf behind him. Sighing, she leaned against the bookshelf and slid to the floor. She hugged her knees to her chest. "It's just, I don't know, hard. What's the point in provoking Shizuo to the point he might get killed? To make Shizuo out to be a monster? What kind of satisfaction does he get from that? They barely know each other."

"You know them better than I do."

"I wish I did." Yuzuki was bursting with uncertainty. She felt unsure of herself and everyone around her. This past holiday, she learned a lot and, in turn, began to doubt a lot. She knew Shizuo cared about her. The fact he didn't mind having her around was a statement in itself. So what if she didn't know much about him? As little as she knew, it was far better than what a lot of other people saw or heard about him. But, it wasn't enough to ease the anxiety. Back in middle school, it was just Shizuo and her (and Shinra too). She didn't care what others thought. Their relationship was secure. Right now, she didn't know her place. Some days she was brimming with confidence, but most days she was on the edge of her seat, paranoid. She felt as though she was floating about, drifting closer to Shizuo and then getting swept away like a nimble leaf. Sooner or later, she'd get crushed and blown away. By Izaya no less. Him and his schemes. If it was a battle of wits, Yuzuki lost hands down. She was no strategist (which explained why she lost nearly all rounds of chess and shoji she ever played).

Nostalgia. She yearned for the good old days. The days when Orihara Izaya never walked into her life.

"I might be stepping out of line here, but what is it about Shizuo that got you to like him?" asked Kadota.

Good question.

Yuzuki pressed a hand to her cheek.

That was the same question her friends back in middle school had asked her—before a majority of them stopped talking to her. Shizuo was a friend. A friend she wanted after seeing him from time to time. When did those feelings of love begin to arise? It sounded so naive to assume it just happened, to say love was unpredictable and uncontrollable. But, that was an accurate characterization for most young girls like herself. Yuzuki wasn't special. Her feelings were as cliche as any other girl her age. And falling for an unconventional bad boy didn't make her anymore unique than she already wasn't.

But wasn't that her appeal? Shizuo wanted to separate himself from his superhuman strength. He hated violence and thanks to Izaya, he was forced to use violence. Even with the fear of hurting those close to him, he didn't want to isolate himself. He wanted to be connected to someone. Leading a normal life was a dream to him. Wasn't being with Yuzuki one step towards that dream? At least, that's what Yuzuki believed.

Tinkering with her necklace, she finally answered. "Shizuo's a likeable person if you get to know him."

"And what does likeable mean to you?" Kadoka said, mimicking her tone from earlier. "I'm kidding."

"Of course you are," Yuzuki said lightly, turning over the pendant to her necklace.

"Where'd you get that?"

"Oh, you mean this?" Yuzuki looped a finger through the chain and brought the necklace forward for Kadota to see. "It's a present, from Shizuo."

"Looks vintage."

"Doesn't it? Shizuo said he bought it from a street vendor, but the pendant is heavy enough to be ivory. I should get a jeweler to examine it."

"I got a friend who's into that kind of stuff. Want me to introduce him to ya?"

"Eeh? Your friend has some unique hobbies. All right, I'll bite."

"I'm meeting up with him at seven for a karaoke marathon. Want to tag along?"

"Sure! Wow, Kadota, I didn't know you did karaoke. Going to dazzle me with your voice tonight?"

Unbeknownst to Yuzuki and Kadota, who were engrossed in meaningless banter your average higher schooler engaged in, Izaya was lurking behind an adjacent shelf, listening in as he paged through a diary he had found on the rooftop during first period. Hearing Yuzuki laugh at the things Kadota said, Izaya slammed the diary shut. The talking came to an abrupt halt.

"Don't mind me," Izaya called out to them.

There was the shuffling of footsteps. Yuzuki and Kadota rounded the corner. The second Yuzuki laid eyes on him, a rosy hue settled on her cheeks and she whipped her head in Kadota's direction.

"Kadota! You—"

"I didn't know," Kadota said hastily.

"He's telling the truth," Izaya said, craning his neck to peer up at her. "Don't be in such a rush to accuse others, Yuzuki. I expected much better of you."

"As if I care what you think," Yuzuki practically spat at him.

"I think you care plenty." Standing up as Yuzuki backed away, he managed to catch hold of her necklace without having to yank it from her. He ran a thumb over the pendant before giving it a "loving" squeeze. "A gorgeous necklace you've got here."

"Are you going to steal it?" she said in a rare act of boldness and mockery.

Izaya met her gaze and sent her wavering. "If I were you, Yuzuki, I wouldn't wear my heart on my sleeve."

Flustered and humiliated, with no retort prepared, Yuzuki stormed off.

"It makes you _easier_ to read" were the words Izaya left her with.

Lying in bed that night (after she turned down karaoke in a fit of embarrassment and disbelief) with the ceiling light on in the middle of her room, she recounted a lot of things. Things that made her happy, things that didn't make her happy, and things that were indefinite. She worked out multiple possibilities behind Izaya's constant harassment. Everything she thought up—try to provoke Shizuo and get him to use the violence he hated; have Shizuo chase him to the end's of the earth until his very last breath; harass the both of them for his own entertainment; get Shizuo killed in the entire process—were viable possibilities.

Dangling her necklace above her like a pendulum, Yuzuki admired the etchy style of the painted sunflower. The image was faded at the edges and the glaze coating sealing it had wore thin. While some might be inclined to say the necklace was old and cheap (thus, an inconsiderate present), Yuzuki knew Shizuo must have chosen it with careful thought. He could have gotten her a stuffed toy from a crane machine and loved it. She smiled, imagining Shizuo losing patience with those crane machines and their overly large claw and the tiny, ill-fitting toys. It would be a commendable feat for him not to break the machine.

With Shizuo on her mind, she fell asleep.

* * *

"Yuzuki-chan, are you buying Valentine chocolates for anyone?" One faceless female student asked when Yuzuki was washing her hands in the restroom.

"Want to go shopping with us after class? We're going to hit that famous candy store in Shibuya," said a second faceless female student. "There's discounted gift wrapping going on."

"Going on a date?" A third faceless female student asked when Yuzuki was collecting her classmates' notebooks for their weekly check of diligence (in tribute to the art of note-taking as their homeroom teacher proclaimed).

In all three situations, Yuzuki summoned a smile, like the good girl she was, and politely declined. She was not going to buy chocolates for anyone. She was not going shopping and she was not going on a date in the days to come. Why? Because she suspected that a little someone would be out to sabotage her plans. If anything, Shizuo and her would decide to do something last minute; perhaps on their way home, giving Izaya less of an opportunity to slip his way in between them. She wouldn't have been surprised if he somehow bribed her classmates to ask her about her Valentine's Day schedule.

"I'm not that petty or predictable that I would be out to get you on a heartfelt holiday like Valentine's Day," Izaya said when he caught her watering winter vegetables in the courtyard. "But, honestly, are you getting anything for Shizu-chan?"

"It's none of your business."

"Won't getting him a gift be the perfect way to see if he reciprocates your feelings?"

Yuzuki thought the best answer to that was no answer.

"Wasn't confessing your New Year's resolution though?" he continued. "I'm right, aren't I?"

Again, Yuzuki thought the best answer to that was no answer.

Coiling the water hose, Yuzuki packed up her gardening tools and proceeded to store them in a nearby shed. She could feel his eyes on her. Locking up the shed, she was about to say her goodbyes and return to class until a student she had never seen before entered the courtyard. The girl stood at about five and a half feet and possessed a habitual straight face in the scheme of things. But, she was model pretty and model thin. Two of her friends stood behind her (they always came in trios).

"You're Kiyomizu Yuzuki, a first year, right?" the model-like girl said.

"That would be me. Can I help you with anything?"

"Do you know who I am?" the model-like girl said in an awfully demanding way.

"Hagiri Mamimi, a debuting model who got scouted during her last year of middle school," Izaya chimed in. "And her groupie: Friend One and Friend Two." He faced the three girls. "What do a bunch of third years want?"

Mamimi completely ignored Izaya and got up in Yuzuki's personal space. "Listen, I heard you were flirting with my boyfriend."

Yuzuki immediately sensed danger. It was flashing at her in hot neon lights. "Sorry, I'm not trying to start anything, but I don't remember ever talking to your boyfriend. I don't even speak to any third years. Are you sure you have the right person?"

Whipping out a camera, Mamimi showed Yuzuki a blurry photo of her and a member of the student council. They were seated side by side, sharing a magazine with Yuzuki holding one end and the guy holding the other. They were sitting rather close to each other. Looking over Yuzuki's shoulder, Izaya went _tsk tsk. _"Care to explain this to me?"

"That photo was taken last week, right? Did your boyfriend tell you I was coming onto him?" said Yuzuki.

"A friend of mine saw you two together."

Yuzuki made swift eye contact with Izaya. "And what did your boyfriend have to say about the photo?"

"He said I was reading too much into it, but as you say, you don't know any third years."

"It's true. I don't. I stand by what I said. It was actually he who approached me."

"So he came onto you?" snapped Friend One. "For your information, Mamimi is a model. Any guy with eyes would pick her over you."

"H-Hey, I'm not saying he came onto me. This who came onto who thing, let's forget that. Neither of us came onto each other."

"I know what I saw. You were getting way too close to him. Don't take us lightly, first year," said Friend Two.

"When it's three against one, I suppose I wouldn't take you girls lightly," Izaya said, sounding disinterested.

"At least we don't need a man to protect us," said Friend Two.

"Wait, wait, wait! Let me clear this up: this guy here isn't protecting me!" Yuzuki suddenly got defensive, more defensive than when she was accused of flirting with someone's boyfriend. "I'm sure he's waiting for me to take a slap to the face. Come on. Let's go find Hagiri-senpai's boyfriend and get to the bottom of this. It's all a misunderstanding, I swear."

"How mean! I was trying to defend you here," said Izaya.

"Liar. You were going to make the situation worse. I can handle myself."

"You say that, but you haven't made much progress," he countered.

"I was about to until you opened your mouth. Now do me a favor for once. Go bully Shinra."

"Me a bully? Is that how you see me? Someone as low as these girls?" Izaya asked in mock hurt.

Mamimi and her friends watched them go back and forth with each other. The original issue at hand had been forgotten. Reduced to a footnote in history. Incredibly irritated, Mamimi marched forward and took Yuzuki by the wrist, yanking her over and away from Izaya. "This is a girl's problem. Butt out."

"A girl's problem? Interesting. How would you define a girl's problem?" Izaya asked, drawing confusion from the crowd. "Do you mean a problem so insignificant that you have to bring two of your friends to confront one person, who allegedly came onto your boyfriend? A single, _blurry_ photo and your friend's supposedly honest testimony, which is all the evidence you have, is enough to get you to corner a girl two years your junior? If you get to the core of this problem, it's all because of a boy who you have severe trust issues with. And since the core of this problem is a boy, how can you justifiably call this a girl's problem? If anything, it's a girl and boy's problem, which means, I don't have to stay out of this if I don't want to."

There was a pregnant pause.

All Friend One and Friend Two could say were:

"What's with this guy? Is he psycho?"

"Come on, Mimi, let's settle this another time."

"Another time as in when Yuzuki is by herself and is an easy target?" said Izaya.

"Cowards" is what he was indirectly calling them. His last statement shut them up. Mamimi clicked her teeth and released Yuzuki. The trio began to head out of the courtyard. Yuzuki called out after them, "If you go to the student council room, you'll find the same magazine as the one in the photo. Turn to page twenty-seven and you'll find a bunch of circled catalog items your boyfriend wanted me to see. Apparently, that bag you wanted for your birthday was sold out, but my aunt knows someone who can get one for you! I just needed to know which design he was referring to...Don't tell him I told you!"

Mamimi stopped in her tracks. Then she set off in the direction of the student council office.

"That was amusing." Izaya watched them go. "Much to do about nothing."

"It would have gone smoother if you had kept out of it," grumbled Yuzuki.

"What would you have done if she had used violence?"

"Defend myself. Isn't that what most people would do?"

"But it would've been three against one."

"Better to put up a fight then let myself get beaten down."

"Retain some dignity (even if it's futile) is what you're saying. What spirit..." Romanticism was what it was. Philosopher, Albert Camus, once said that in the face of absurdity, where the world disappointed and life was meaningless, one should meet it with defiance. Defiance would lend you integrity and nobility even if the world was silent to your pleas. Izaya thought it was laughable. It was one of the identifying factors that made humans such marvelous things.

A slight wind began to pick up, sending Yuzuki's hair alight as someone called out to her. With her attention diverted, Izaya reached out to her, her hair dancing into his hand, tickling his fingertips as she peered up at the third-story window where Shizuo and Shinra stood in the mild gloom of the hallway.

He smirked up at Shizuo.

_Say, Yuzuki. Would you show me that same spirit if it were me you were up against?_


End file.
